Anxious Heart
by Mimi Blossoms Aeris 15
Summary: Feeling lost & is suffering from amnesia, Zack is haunted by a mysterious girl who haunts him in his dreams. Could she be the key to his lost memories? [COMPLETE]


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Anxious Heart

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By Kristine Gonzales (aeris_15@yahoo.com)

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I really wasn't planning to post this online. I wrote this fanfic a long time ago when I was still in grade 10. I was probably 16 when I wrote this, but now I've also edited it. There are still some grammar mistakes here, but I'm just too lazy to edit them all. And the wordings just totally suck! But oh well… here's my fanfic. It's a romance fanfic between Aeris and Zack. I think Zack didn't get enough recognition in the game, and I think there should be more fanfic about him. I like Aeris and Zack together; they'd probably make a cute couple. I just don't like his black hair! It's too big on his head! I think Whitney could relate me to that. ^_~ I'd like to dedicate this story to all my friends: Sisqo_luva, flirtateous_1, nickschica, Cha_Cha, Miaka, Tum_Tum, and to everyone else to likes reading Zack fanfics! Please read my fanfic and review! Be nice please… if you've got something ugly to say, please don't let me hear it. I can't cope with any more bad reviews ever since I wrote "Eyes on Cloud". Now on to the story…

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Zack wore his huge sword across his back, always bringing it with him eager to fight anybody who's willing to challenge him. His blue eyes had this strange glow that made the others to run away from him. His spiky jet-black hair stood on his head, which happened to be so noticeable. He had left his hometown in the Southern Hemisphere, and had chosen to live on the West Side of the Earth. He had managed to get to the West, but with incident. A group of police had charged into him. He was outnumbered and couldn't fight against the soldiers alone. Zack had been too weak to battle then. He was then found by an old man, who was a rock seller, and had brought Zack to his home to raise him there. Zack was seventeen at the time, which was exactly six years ago.

Zack had upset his parents because of his leaving the country. They had thought that Zack was too young to travel by himself. Although Zack was a trained soldier, his parents had never believed in his true strength.

The rock seller had found Zack, who was seriously injured. But the rock seller had managed to cure his wounds without the reach of the doctors. When Zack had awakened to find himself in the house of the rock seller, he couldn't remember anything that had happened at all. He had been totally clueless. He had only remembered one thing, and only one. His name was Zack. He hadn't had any clue of why he was there. The rock seller had explained to him that he was a young brave soldier, and that he had almost lost his life by saving a young woman. He had told him that Zack was outnumbered and had been too weak to fight against his seven opponents. Zack had denied it. He had told the rock seller that it never happened. Since then, Zack had lived with the rock seller.

When Zack had put himself to bed, he had a strange and surreal dream about a young girl. She had looked rather familiar to him. She was about his age. Her green eyes had stared at his own blue eyes. Her long mahogany hair had swayed, and Zack ran his hands through her braided hair. Zack had awakened and felt strange feelings crushing up inside him. He was sure that he had seen that lady in his life before, but he couldn't remember. He then walked up to the rock seller, who had been studying his rocks in the kitchen. Although Zack hardly knew the rock seller, he had felt sure that he could trust him. He came up to the rock seller, and had been seemingly anxious to talk to him.

"I'm going to continue to find her..." Zack had blurted out all of a sudden.

The rock seller had smiled warmly at Zack. "Take care of yourself, son." He had replied kindly. He had opened up his bag and took out a white glowing orb. It was glowing brightly and beautifully. It almost looked like...magic. The rock seller extended the orb to Zack. "Please take this. You will need this for your journey."

Zack had looked at the orb. Its glow gleamed in his blue eyes. He took the orb with hesitation. "Are... are you sure I can have this? It seemed so valuable."

"Well, if it's your destiny to find her, then you must take that rock with you. It's a very special rock..."

Zack stared blankly at the magical orb. "Does it do anything?" he couldn't help but ask.

The rock seller shrugged and said nothing more. Zack waited for him to answer but he looked like he didn't want to talk anymore. He gave up eventually and got his sword ready, placing it once again across his back. And then he left the rock seller's house to try to find the woman in his dreams. Zack had been seventeen at the time, which was exactly six years ago.

That was how Zack learned to live independently. He lived in an apartment now, next door to a young woman his age. Nora used to be a good nurse, but now she decided to stop nursing and thought of being a cook. Nora seemed to follow him around and could never stay away from him. Zack was flattered about it, but he somehow knew that Nora wasn't the woman he was looking for. She was not the woman in his dreams.

One night, Nora knocked on Zack's apartment, and brought him a homemade cheesecake. Zack refused the offer, but Nora was too stubborn to let Zack get away from it. She practically forced Zack to taste her cake, while Zack struggled to get out of the case. He turned brightly red when Nora kissed him. Then he sadly rejected her and asked for Nora to leave. He didn't have any feelings for her, he realized just now. Perhaps he thought he did; he was happy to find that out. Nora looked at Zack in astonishment but she did what Zack told her to do. Without saying anything to him, Nora turned her back away from him and left quietly. Though Zack can always be so arrogant at times, her feelings for him would never change.

Quietly in his own bed, Zack held up the white orb that the rock seller gave him six years ago. He wondered what the purpose of it. He wondered what it does and doesn't. He wondered where the rock seller got it. Maybe he mined it somewhere.

Zack studied the orb, as he had never looked closely over it before. The rock seller probably had found the orb someplace where no one else could find it.

He shrugged the thought off and then placed the orb inside his pockets. With a grudge, he took his huge sword and hurried out of his apartment as if ready for battle. He walked down the main streets in the dark city of Midgar. He felt nothing but bitterness. For six years, he still didn't find the girl that he was looking for. He believed she was the only key to his lost memories. He wanted to find out more about her, and more about his past. Zack felt that once he finds this girl, his memories would soon be back. But what does the orb had to do with finding that girl?

It had been six years, six years since he left the rock seller's house to find her. Six damn years. He had thought all along that it wouldn't take him that long to find her. But what if he already did? What if it was Nora all along? Zack thought for a moment, about Nora. Is she the girl? Is she the one? He shook his head. No way. It can't be her. No way. Then Zack decided that it was no use trying to find that woman in his dreams. What was the point anyway? What benefit would he get from finding her? Besides he was already frustrated. He had been looking for her for six years! And that old rock seller thinks that the white orb would be useful? As if.

After walking for quite a while, Zack was surprise to find the rock seller's house. It still looked the same, still shabby, yet homey. He took a deep breath. This may be the right time to tell that old geezer that his stupid glowing rock didn't work. He didn't hesitate and knocked on the door. Nobody answered. Zack banged on the door. Nobody answered. Then as if he couldn't take it anymore, Zack cursed and yelled. He didn't even realize how mad he was at the rock seller until now, until now that he showed his gut feeling.

"I'm never gonna find her!" Zack yelled angrily. "You tricked me! You tricked me!"

Then without even thinking straight, Zack threw the glowing orb to the rock seller's house. "Take your stupid rock with you! I don't need it!" Then he left without turning back.

It wasn't long when he returned back to his area. The night was so quiet and peaceful, but inside he was in fury. The more he thought about what he did, the more he wanted to have a girl to stay with him.

A loud shriek brought his attention. He hurried off to follow the scream. In the dark alley, he noticed a young woman about his age. Her half-dead body was flat against the dirty ground of the alley. Zack's eyes widened as he noticed her dress all covered with blood. Who could have done such a cruel thing to her?

Zack bent over and examined the girl. She was unconscious. The girl lied there still, unmoving like a rock. Her face was pale. Her arms all bruised up. Zack felt sorry for her.

"Miss? Can you hear me?" Zack asked, shaking her gently to wake her up. But the woman stayed there with no motion.

Zack took a deep breath and he gently carried the woman with his own strong arms. He watched every step he takes as he walked back to his apartment with the girl in his arms. He was careful not to drop her, even though he knew he wouldn't.

As Zack got to the apartment corridor, he didn't hesitate to knock on Nora's door. He knew that Nora used to be a nurse. Maybe she could help. But he also knew that maybe Nora was still mad at him for rejecting her like that earlier. But this is an emergency and he needed her help. When Nora opened the door, she gasped at the sight of the bloody girl in Zack's arms.

"What happened?!" Nora exclaimed, her eyes almost in tears. "Who is that girl?"

Zack scowled at Nora. "No time for questions! This girl needs help fast! You've got to do something to her quickly!"

She quickly nodded her head in agreement. Seeing the girl covered with blood gave her an uneasy feeling. But she agreed to help out the girl; she just couldn't turn down a patient like that.

The next morning, Nora sat next to the girl's bedside and watched her as she regained consciousness. The girl slowly opened her green friendly eyes. Nora gave her a friendly smile, but the girl glanced at her with a puzzled expression.

"Are you okay?" Nora asked gently. Zack stood behind Nora, a blank expression on his face. He seemed not to pay attention at the girl, but he was just staring blankly at her.

The girl nodded and sat up on the bed. "Where am I? How did I get here?"

"I'm Nora. My friend Zack found you in an alley last night. You were badly injured, and your dress was covered with blood."

The girl looked down. But the dress that she was wearing didn't look familiar to her and it wasn't even covered with blood. "My dress?" the girl echoed.

"Yes. I let you use one of my clothes for now. I had no choice. I had to change your dress, because it was drenched with blood..." Nora replied.

"Thanks..." the girl answered sincerely. Then she stood up on her feet and looked out the window. "This is your apartment?"

"You're in Zack's apartment now," Nora stated.

"Zack?" she looked at her expectantly. Then she took a quick glance at Zack.

Nora nodded. "Yes, a young soldier that helped you." She pointed at Zack. "He was the one that brought you here."

Zack and the girl looked at each other. When the girl saw him looking back at her, she timidly blushed and lowered her gaze. "...Thank you, Zack..." she whispered more to herself.

As Nora left, the room filled with silence. It was so silent that you could clearly hear it in your head. Zack settled down on a chair to read the newspaper. The girl studied him. There was something about him. He looked so... tough? She examined his spiky black hair as well as his muscular shoulders. She slowly took one step forward his direction. But Zack looked up at her suddenly.

"What is your name?" Zack suddenly asked, breaking the silence. 

The girl looked startled. "My name... I'm... A... Aeris..." the girl stammered.

Zack put the paper away and turned his attention to Aeris. "What were you doing last night, Aeris?" he asked her, frowning.

Aeris slowly looked down, her heart pounding nervously. Should she tell? Can she trust him? What if he doesn't believe her? Oh well... the truth is the truth. Here goes, "I... I don't remember..." she slowly said sincerely, and it was the truth.

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'you don't remember'? What don't you remember?"

Aeris looked at him with pleading eyes. "Everything..." she sighed.

Zack only shook his head and walked to the door. Before opening the door, he turned back to her. "You shouldn't be out that late. Don't you know how dangerous it is for a girl to just go out in the night by herself? If I hadn't found you, you'd be..." he stopped and just looked at her as if everything was her entire fault.

Aeris turned away from him and didn't say anything. Scratching his head, he murmured something under his breath. She turned at him and gazed at his blue eyes. Zack took up the challenge and stared back at her. She was beautiful. She had long braided mahogany hair. There was a very mysterious look on her. Zack couldn't breathe. Aeris was the fairest girl he had ever seen in his life. Then suddenly he blinked, and realized that he had been staring at her. He wondered how long he was staring but Zack only looked away walked out of the door. "Let's go, breakfast is ready." Zack called out.

As weeks passed by, Zack still treated the girl rather coldly. He had seemed not to be in the mood for talking, as Zack was very disturbed of the fact that he still couldn't find the woman in his dreams. Every time Aeris would come to talk to Zack, he would always ignore her, and even say rude things to her. Zack didn't mean to. He was just plainly unhappy about the girl in his dreams.

Aeris, who seemed to notice the way Zack treats her, eventually tried to stay away from him as best as she could. Although Nora insisted her that it was okay with Zack for her to stay at his apartment, Aeris doubted it. Zack had been acting merely cold on her. She felt like she wasn't welcome there, even though Zack let her sleep on his bed while he sleeps on the couch. Aeris felt bad. She had tried to tell Zack, but got mad. 

Aeris locked herself in the bedroom and cried about it. It wasn't fair. She really wanted Zack to like her, or at least not to hate her. She wanted Zack to be nice to her. But how could she do that?

One afternoon, Aeris knocked on Nora's door, feeling a bit uneasy about staying with Zack.

"I think Zack hates me..." Aeris told Nora. "I don't think he wants me here. He's always giving me the evil look every time I'm in sight of him..."

Nora shook her head. "No. Zack is not like that. I'm sure he really cares for you."

The only thing that Aeris could do was to go back to Zack's apartment, unconvinced. She went into the living room to find Zack watching TV by himself.

"H-hi Zack..." Aeris said softly as she came in. She was about to enter the bedroom when Zack suddenly turned off the TV and stopped her.

"Where were you?" Zack asked.

Aeris looked at Zack nervously. She didn't know what to say. Before she could answer, Zack made a motion to come and sit with him. She hesitated for a moment, but she accepted the offer. Sitting down on the couch next to Zack, Aeris said, "I was at Nora's. I didn't know you'd be back home so early."

Zack gave her a cold stare. "You know you shouldn't leave the house without letting me know!"

Aeris finally couldn't take it, so she scowled at him as well. "And who are you to manipulate me?" She rose to her feet. She was angry. She could feel her face burning. She could feel her eyes watering. As she was about to leave...

"Aeris wait! I-I'm... sorry..." Zack said silently.

Aeris stopped. She couldn't believe what she just heard. Zack was actually apologizing to her? She slowly turned around and could feel her heart beating rapidly. "H-huh?"

Zack didn't reply but he just looked at Aeris in a strange way. Aeris slowly backed away from him and smiled nervously. "Zack... what is it?" she asked softly.

But Zack was no longer looking at her; instead he was looking at Aeris' hair ribbon. On the ribbon was a glowing white orb identical to his own. Zack shook his head in disbelief.

"Aeris?" Zack whispered.

"What?"

"You're the one..." he replied softly.

That night, Zack returned to the old rock seller's house to announce the good news. He was so happy to finally have found the girl he was looking for. But what made him angry was when he saw that the rock seller's house was already burnt down. Nothing was left but the ashes of what it used to be.

"Excuse me," Zack turned to one of the townspeople. "What happened to the rock seller that used to live here?"

One of the townspeople, a short fat man in his early twenties, gave Zack a disgusted look. "Didn't you know? I heard that some soldier came here and threw a rock to his house, and then it started a fire. The rock seller moved somewhere. Good thing he survived the fire, though. Lucky him."

He returned to the apartment, frustrated, he was angry to find out that the rock seller's house was burnt down. He was even more frustrated when Nora came up running to him, and said that Aeris was missing. Zack panicked and rushed off to find her, leaving Nora to stay behind in case Aeris shows up.

It was very dark and stormy that night, so it was dangerous for her. As he was getting farther and farther from his apartment, he was starting to get more worried about Aeris. He can't lose her now. Not when she had that magical white orb.

"Zack!" he heard her voice from a distance. He knew it was she. Aeris was the one.

"Aeris!" Zack called back, looking around as he found himself in another deserted dark alley. "Aeris? Where are you?"

"I'm right here, Zack..." her tiny voice replied.

He found her sitting on the ground. Her face looked as red as an apple. He frowned when he noticed that her clothes were drenching wet. "Aeris... you all right?" What happened?" he asked in concern.

Aeris nodded. Inside, she was really surprised that Zack actually looked concerned and worried. "I'm fine. Thank you, Zack."

Zack helped Aeris up from the ground by pulling her with his extended hands. "What were you doing here?"

"I was selling flowers when this slum drunk bumped into me... And well, you know... actually... I..." her voice trailed off and her face turned a bit red. 

Zack sighed in relief. "I'm glad you're okay." Then his smile turned into a frown. "But Aeris you know you shouldn't have been here alone by herself."

Aeris lowered her gaze. Her face coloring. She held an empty basket, where she had put her flowers. Clutching it tightly, she said, "I was... actually looking for you, Zack. I was worried about you... You were out for so long. But anyway, I knew you wouldn't be happy if I left, yet I did anyway. It was very dumb of me."

"Look, I'm sorry I've been so harsh on you," Zack apologized. "But I'm so glad I found you. I just realized that I..."

She looked up to find Zack smiling at her, as if he had finally forgiven her. Then she noticed a shadow behind Zack. Looking closely, Aeris saw the person behind Zack. Her eyes filled with terror as she heard a loud gunshot.

"Oh Zack! Look out!" Aeris shouted. She put Zack around her arms to try and protect him. The bullet found its way through Aeris' back. Even though she was hurt, Aeris smiled, satisfied to know that she got hit instead of Zack. For a moment, she lost all her strength and closed her eyes. As she was about to stumble down on the ground, Zack caught her bloody body.

"Aeris!" Zack exclaimed. He shook her body, feeling his heart race inside. A bearing of sorrow ached in his chest. "Aeris, can't you hear me?"

He gently laid Aeris on the ground. Trembling, he turned to the gunman. "Who are you? Who do you think you are?" he yelled, anger welled up inside him.

The gunman laughed. He revealed himself from the dark shadows. "It's me. I'm the great Gunman in this area who always look for a fight."

Zack's face turned red in anger. "But why pick her?!"

"I was supposed to shoot you, but she sacrificed herself just to save you," he replied in a bitter tone. Gunman took a step toward his direction. "You grew up, Zack. You grew up."

"How the hell did you know my name?" 

Gunman only chuckled. "Remember, I was one of the seven soldiers who fought against you six years ago? Remember that?"

"Six years ago..." Zack thought for a moment. "You. You nearly killed me."

"Be happy that you're still alive," he answered. "You risked your life six years ago just to save Aeris, and this time she risked her life to save yours."

Zack bent down and looked at Aeris' beautiful face. "Aeris? Can you hear me? It's me, Zack."

Aeris slowly opened her eyes and smiled. "I hear you, Zack."

"Listen, I'll finish this guy off for you," Zack told her.

"No Zack. Just run, you don't have to do this for me," Aeris whispered.

Zack ignored her remark and rose to his feet. He unsheathed his huge sword and stood on his attack position. Without hesitating, he hurried towards the man's direction and stabbed him as badly as he could. Gunman wailed in pain, seeing he was wounded. He glared at Zack, and cursed at him. 

"You'll pay for that!" the gunman yelled before he left.

Zack walked over to Aeris' body and carried her in his arms. Her white orb was still there, but he didn't care anymore. All he wanted was for Aeris to be okay now. And that's that. He wanted nothing more.

He looked around, and noticed Nora running to his direction. He gently bent down on the sidewalk but he didn't let go of Aeris.

Zack turned to Nora. Obviously Nora looked shocker than ever. Zack's eyes filled with sorrow as he glanced at Aeris' half-dead body. "Nora..." Zack began. "Can you do something for her?"

Nora slowly shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks as well as Zack's. "Sorry... but I don't know..."

Zack shook Aeris' body. "Aeris! Aeris! Please say you can hear me! Please!" His whole body trembled nervously. _No way, Aeris can't die. No. That's not fair. Aeris can't die. _Then he shut his eyes tightly. "Don't leave me..."

Nora looked at Zack sympathetically. "Zack, I'm sorry... It's just that there's nothing I can do. I'm just a nurse, not a doctor..."

"Then go..." Zack whispered.

"Huh?"

"GO!" Zack yelled.

Nora tried to hold back her tears. "I'm so sorry, Zack!" She didn't dare to say another word, and she quickly ran back to the apartment.

Zack gently touched her soft angelic face. He let his hands run to her smooth face. He let his hands run through her mahogany hair. Suddenly he had a sudden strange taste of familiarity. _Aeris Gainsborough? _He placed his hand on her face for a while. Inside, he was angry about what happened. But he knew there was nothing he could do.

"The white orb..." a voice said behind him.

Zack turned to where the voice was coming from. In front of him, stood the rock seller of six years ago.

"It's you..." Zack said, relieved to find him. He looked at Aeris' glowing orb and took it off from her bow. "You mean this?"

The rock seller nodded his head. "I'm proud of you, Zack. You found the girl in your dreams at last. But her life is in danger, you must do something to revive her."

"But how...?" he asked.

"Use the orb..." the rock seller replied. "If you really love Aeris, then the white orb will work, and bring her life back again. But you must do it carefully. Its power only works if true love is present. If your feelings for Aeris aren't real, then you have no chance of bringing her back..."

Zack gave a wearing smile, and held up the white orb. "I do... I love her. Aeris Gainsborough, just wait, I'm gonna get you back, I promise."

Then Zack held up the white orb as if reaching for the sky. A heavenly breeze passed and floated around them. He closed his eyes shut and said a little prayer. Three angels appeared to wake up Aeris.

Suddenly everything went back to normal, and Aeris opened her eyes. "Zack... you brought me back..." she whispered happily.

Zack smiled and quickly gave Aeris a long hug. "I'm not going to lose you again..."

"Thanks, Zack..." Aeris told him.

Then bright memories flooded in Zack's head. He saw flashbacks from his past, and scenes from his Southern hometown. He held Aeris tighter in his arms. Now he remembered everything. Six years ago, Zack and Aeris had left their hometown. On their way to Midgar, they met the seven gunmen who had wanted to capture Aeris. Zack had fought to protect Aeris. But was beaten. Then he just had woken up in the rock seller's house, and had a dream about Aeris. He remembered now. It was her too. Aeris was his first love, as she was his.

"Aeris..." Zack said, his eyes sparkling. "I remember everything."

She smiled. "I remember took." She gave him a quick kiss on his lips. "I love you, Zack..."

Then their lips met.

Pulling away from each other, Zack looked around, but the rock seller was nowhere to be found.

"Thank you, too..." Zack whispered to where he last stood.

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AUTHOR'S NOTES: AAAAhhhhh!!! That was WAY TOO CORNY!!! I know it is! You don't have to tell me!!! It's not even funny, I swear, it's the corniest thing I've ever written! Oh well… maybe I'll revise it sometime…

[[Visit my Aeris shrine!][1]]

   [1]: http://www.geocities.com/aeris_15/Aerith.html



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